Food · Fermented foods
Wheat Starch (Komugi-denpun)
小麦でん粉 (Komugi-denpun)
Also known as: Komugi-denpun, Wheat starch, Uki-ko (wagashi grade), 浮き粉, 小麦澱粉
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| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Japanese labeling name | 小麦でん粉 |
| Common Japanese notations | 小麦でん粉, うきこ, 浮き粉, 小麦澱粉 |
| Origin | Wheat starch (Triticum aestivum) extracted by washing wheat dough to separate starch from gluten; uki-ko 'floating powder' is the wagashi-grade refined wheat starch; byproduct of vital-wheat-gluten production; principal domestic producers: starch processors in Hokkaido and other wheat-producing regions |
| Typical functions | Wagashi (Japanese confectionery) — translucent crystal-like steamed dumplings (uiro, kuzu-mochi substitute), Yum cha / Chinese-cuisine dumpling skins (har gow translucent skin), Tempura coating component (light crispness), Industrial sauce/soup thickener with neutral flavor |
| Regulatory status in Japan | Standard food labeling. **Wheat is a JAS-mandatory allergen — must be declared.** Wheat starch retains residual gluten in unrefined grades; isolated wheat starch can be reduced to <20 ppm gluten in highly-refined grades but is NOT considered gluten-free in Japan without specific certification. |
Wheat starch (小麦でん粉, komugi-denpun; wagashi grade: 浮き粉 uki-ko) is starch isolated from wheat by washing dough to separate starch from gluten. Distinctive translucent finish for wagashi and Chinese dumpling skins. **JAS-mandatory wheat allergen disclosure required.**
Classification
Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.
Product applications
Functions
Regulatory tags
Origin
Used in (typical product categories)
Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.
- Industrial wheat starch (B2B starch ingredient)
- Wagashi-grade uki-ko consumer retail
- Foodservice professional pack
What it is
Refined wheat starch (Triticum aestivum) extracted from dough.
Typical uses in Japanese products
Wagashi translucent confections (uki-ko grade).
Chinese yum cha har gow translucent dumpling skins.
Tempura coating crispness component.
Industrial sauce/soup neutral thickener.
For OEM: wagashi B2B, foodservice ingredient pack, industrial starch.
Regulatory classification in Japan
Standard food labeling.
**Wheat is JAS-mandatory allergen — must be declared.**
Refined wheat starch may retain residual gluten — not gluten-free without specific certification.
Regulatory classification in other markets
| EU | Wheat starch with <20 ppm gluten can be 'gluten-free' under EU Regulation 828/2014; wheat allergen disclosure required. |
|---|---|
| USA | Wheat allergen disclosure required (FALCPA). Gluten-free certification requires additional process control. |
| China | Standard food ingredient. |
| Korea | Standard food ingredient. |
Example products
Example finished products will be added after verification.
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Sharing similar functions
Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.
From the same origin
Other ingredients that share an origin classification.
References
- MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — 小麦でん粉
Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.